Scouting Report: CEGEP Vanier’s Aliou Diouf Becoming a Matchup Nightmare

Written by J.M. Poulard

As we head into exhibition and scrimmage season, there are a host of players to keep an eye on given how they may impact the campaigns of their respective teams.

One such player is 6’7 wing Aliou Diouf (class of 2027) from CEGEP Vanier.

Diouf is a terrifying scorer that beats defenders off the dribble to score at the rim. The Val Bel-Air (Quebec) product is tall and athletic enough to punch it over the top of defenders when he gets into the paint; but for the most part, he plays like a below-the-rim player.

Indeed, Aliou has an array of finger rolls, scoop and bank shots he uses with his dominant and off hand to score on the interior, which also means that he cannot be defended by smaller players. Put a guard on him to crowd his dribble, and Diouf will walk himself to the low block and seal his man for a deep paint catch and score.

Cool, right?

Well this next part is the most terrifying for opponents: He handles the ball at times like a 2-guard. Crossovers married with spin moves will throw opponents for a loop if they’re not prepared for it, especially considering he’s 6’7. Have a look at his highlights from one game during the 2025 postseason (he wears #4):

Very few defenders can match up with Diouf at his height when he is on the perimeter, and he further complicates issues with his mid-range and three-point shooting. In addition, this year, Diouf has added what might seem like a silly tool to his scoring arsenal: the dreaded pump fake.

Last year, he was content to catch and attack or simply catch and shoot. As he heads into his second campaign with the Vanier Cheetahs, Diouf has seemingly made it his mission to force teams to adjust the scouting report on him. His shooting ability is an issue for most to reckon with, and defenders often lunged early at him whenever it looked like he might shoot in an effort to disturb his rhythm.

But now?

Diouf took notes and defenses must now account for his pump fakes. Again, it might sound beyond silly to point this out, but this addition gives him an extra step against defenders attempting to close out; which means that a guy that already was a problematic scorer in the paint area just found an added way of getting into said paint, which invariably means more points.

Teams were concerned enough during the summer – Diouf played for both Brookwood Elite and Hoopville (school AAU team) – that they often deployed guards to defend him. Diouf was more than happy to oblige as you can see below (wears #10):

Aliou is a dangerous scorer and an extremely problematic mismatch, and he knows it.

As a result, his scoring gift is also a curse. He can generate shots against just about any defender, and thus, he can get a bit trigger-happy and dribble into help defenders when attempting to set up his scoring opportunities.

It’s a facet that Diouf has improved on as he goes into his second season with Vanier, and an area where he should continuously grow.

In watching the 6’7 forward wing play in a scrimmage against a Canadian university, it’s clear that his combination of height and talent make him a prototypical wing at the next level.

If he can then lock in on defense with consistency and maintain his offensive production and efficiency, there’s a strong possibility he will be among the very best players in the 2027 class.